Constructing a Wooden Life-Size Wind-Up Car

With a design in mind, I created a rough build plan and purchased wood.

Upon purchasing wood, I analyzed the dimensions to ensure I could get all my desired pieces out of it and then created a cut plan.

I then began cutting.

From here, after speaking with Peter Brue and some peers, I plan on cutting finger joints to connect the box from of the car. Pete recommended I do so on a band saw and said I could further reinforce the hold by drilling down through the joints and driving a dowel into the hole. As you can see in my build plan, I was planning on attaching the wheels to the axle by cutting a plus shape into each. However, after discussing, I think I will drill a hole though the wheel and axle and drive a dowel all the way through (this is an idea I pondered earlier after speaking with the Landscape Architect, as mentioned in an earlier post) and/or locking the wheel in place by drilling holes on either side of the wheel and driving a dowel pin through, locking the wheel in place. My hesitation with the latter idea is I fear if the wheel is not locked onto the axle, it will spin freely and not propel the vehicle forward.